Sundquist signs 2024 budget, but, voices concern over cuts to pay increases for some department heads...
The city of Jamestown's 2024 budget is now in place after Mayor Eddie Sundquist signed the measure late last week. However... Sundquist says he still has at least one concern about the $40.15-million spending plan... which was approved by the City Council. At this point, though, he says none of the changes were major... so he signed the package. He says if the city continues keeping salaries for those departments heads kept low, it will be harder and harder to fill those positions. The budget includes a slight tax levy increase... but, no increase in the tax rate of $23.69 per $1,000 full value. Lawmakers have said that any further changes would have to be made by a week from today... Mon., Dec. 11. The budget was due by Dec. 1 so that tax bills can be sent out at the beginning of January.
Pair from Mayville arrested on drug charges following traffic stop...
Two Mayville residents arrested earlier this year for allegedly dealing drugs there have been arrested again for drug possession following a traffic stop in Jamestown. City police say a patrol stopped a car entering the city on Fluvanna Avenue at North Main Street shortly before 8 p.m. last Friday... after spotting 34 year-old James Mawhir in the passenger seat. A background check found that Mawhir was wanted on a Felony warrant... and, made contact with him and the driver, 47 year-old Jenell Long. During a vehicle search... officers found a quantity of methamphetamine in Mawhir's possession... and, in his property inside the vehicle. Officers say they continued to search the car... and, found a digital scale and packaging material commonly used for controlled substances. Police also located a container of fentanyl and buprenorphine/naloxone. Both Mawhir and Long were taken to the city jail pending arraignment. Mawhir faces two counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia... and, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Long is charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Jamestown women arrested after domestic because they had orders of protection against each other...
Two city women have been arrested for allegedly violating orders of protection they had against each other last weekend. Jamestown police say officers responded to s southside address shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday for a domestic dispute. Police say they found 29 year-old Kerri Finch-Tidd... and, 52 year-old Barbara Baker on scene... and, found they both had the orders against each other. Both were taken into custody... and, taken to the city jail without incident. Finch-Tidd is charged with Felony first-degree criminal contempt... while Baker is charged with second-degree criminal contempt.
Jamestown's annual Holiday Parade kick's off Christmas Season downtown...
On Third Street in downtown Jamestown last Saturday night... the Jamestown High School Marching Band was one of approximately 150 units that were part of the annual downtown Christmas Parade. It's put on by the city with Collaborative Children's Solutions. Mayor Eddie Sundquist was on hand to help light the city's 40-foot tall Christmas tree at Tracy Plaza... on a mild and rainy night. He says it's great to see large numbers of people on a busy Saturday come out. The LaMancuso family helped to light the tree. Sundquist says the day kicked-off with events on Tracy Plaza... and, elsewhere in the downtown area. There was also a viewing of the movie "The Santa Clause" at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts Saturday afternoon. Following the parade... there was a fireworks display
Blue Star Mothers Packing Day on Saturday receives overwhelming support...
More than 400 people lined up at the Fluvanna Community Church Family Center on Saturday to pack ‘Christmas Care Packages’ for the Blue Star Mothers. It’s the 15th year of the program, and Blue Star Mother NY4 Vice-President, Kathy Collver, calls the response ‘humbling.' She says they are always "amazed" about the response every year. Collver says she expects at least 900 care packages will be mailed out early in the week to service people all around the world. She says each box is filled with non-perishable food items, personal care products and fun things, too -- that our troops overseas will enjoy. Cash donations will fund the $25,000 in postage needed to mail the boxes. Collver expressed her thanks to Jamestown Container for the boxes, and the help of JRSC Digital in preparing them for mailing.
Borrello pleased to see extension approved for Seneca Gaming Agreement; but, adds new agreement is still needed...
The new agreement on an extension of the Seneca Nation Gaming Compact with New York state is "welcome news" for people who have been urging Governor Kathy Hochul to act on one. One is State Senator George Borrello... who says the Nation is a "valued neighbor in Western New York, and their gaming facilities and resorts are a major economic driver." The current agreement was to expire by next Saturday, December 9th. Borrello says the agreement "relieves a measure of uncertainty that has increasingly clouded this issue as the expiration date approached." At the same time... he urges the Hochul administration to use the extension productively rather than as an excuse to "kick the can down the road." He says Hochul and her team need to come to the table with a commitment to engaging in good faith negotiations on an agreement that is fair to all parties.
